No variables that you create in Java are objects. A variable is either a primitive type (such as int) or an object reference. This is a tremendously important concept. When you create a variable of a primitive type:

The variable contains an integer value (in this case uninitialized). But when you declare an object variable:

no Integer object exists until you create one and assign it to the variable as in

The variable is merely a holder for the reference to the actual object. hth, bear [ September 16, 2003: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]